The Successors of Genghis Khan - Robert Bedrosian's Armenian ...

HISTORY OF JOCHI KHAN
"He is to me like a father, tutor, and emir. How can I hand him over
to an enemy ? " And he refused to do so.
Noqai had a clever and competent wife called Chubei, who was
constantly going to Toqta upon missions for him. And he had three
sons: the eldest Joge, the middle one Tiige, and the youngest Torai.
They suborned several of Toqta's hazdras and made them subject to
themselves; and crossing the Etil they stretched out the hand of
insolence and violence against the territory of Toqta and ruled it as
absolute rulers. Toqta was annoyed and asked for the return of the
hazdras. Noqai refused, saying: "I will send them when Saljidai,
his son Yailaq, and Tama-Toqta are sent to me." On this account the
flame of discord and enmity flared up between them, and Toqta
gathered his forces and in the year 698/1298-1299 reviewed nearly 30
tiimens on the banks of the River Uz'i. But since the Uzi had not frozen
over that winter, he was unable to cross, and Noqai did not stir from
his position. Toqta turned back in the spring and spent the summer on
the banks of the River Tan.117
The next year Noqai crossed the Tan with his sons and wives and
began to practise his wiles, saying: "I am coming for a quriltai so that
I may take my pleasure with you." And knowing that Toqta's armies
were scattered and that he had but few men with him, he hurried
forward in order to fall upon him unawares. Toqta learnt of his approach
and collected an army; and they met and fought at ,118
on the banks of the River Tan. Toqta was defeated and fled back to
Sarai. Three emirs, Maji, Sutan, and Sanqui, deserted Noqai and
made their way to Toqta. Toqta sent for Tama-Toqta, the son of
Balagha, who for some time past had been the guardian and defender
of Darband, and again mobilized a great army and went to war
against Noqai. Noqai had not the power to resist. He turned face and,
crossing the Uzi, pillaged the town of Qirim119 and carried off many
slaves. The inhabitants came to the court of Noqai and asked for the
release of the slaves and prisoners. Noqai ordered the prisoners to be
returned. His army became disaffected and sent the following message
"'The Don.
118 Verkhovsky (p. 85) reads this corrupt name as Bakhtiyar.
119 The Crimean port of Soldaia, or Sudaq. See above, p. 55, note 213.
127